Naomi Dawn Musch's Blog: NEW Discussion Guide, page 11

Ask God Anything

I was just thinking about the utter simplicity of prayer. Yet it is anything but simple. It is our weak, finite voices, often only spoken in the quiet of our hearts, reaching out to transcend a space we cannot even imagine, to whisper in the ear of Almighty God, and while His heaven is somewhere we cannot see, he simultaneously dwells in our hearts, so close in fact, he hears the heartbeat of our prayers before they are even uttered.

And yet, it is simple.

It is a cry: Please, God. It is a lament: Oh, God! It is a sorrow: Why, God? It is a joy: Praise God!

We can ask God anything or talk to Him about anything. We are not limited to our needs. We are not compelled to praise. We are not bound by rules at all. God longs for our friendship, our companionship. We were created for this. When we go to Him with all our burdens, all our cares, all our joys, all our longings, we can know that he waits to converse with us. He will reply. We have but to listen.


So we can ask God anything. We can talk to Him about ANYthing. We can cry and plead and laugh. In short, we can trust Him with our hearts.

Prayer. So simple. Yet so profound.
~~~~~~~~~

October Clash of the Titles. Vote Now!

Autumn leaves are falling from the
trees, and we've raked in some great books for this month's Clash of the
Titles!

Vote for your Fave!


Scroll through these releases and cast your vote for your fave.It's a tough choice, but it's up to you to determine our Clash
Champion!


Love's Faithful Promise  by
Susan Anne Mason

Widower Dr. Matthew Clayborne is devoted to two things: his work with
wounded soldiers and his four-year-old daughter, Phoebe. When Deirdre
O’Leary, a feisty New Yorker, arrives requesting he use his skills to
help her stricken mother, he has no idea how his life is about to
change.

~~~~~~






Feta and Freeways by Susan M.
Baganz





Nikolos Action is the lead singer of the band and doesn't
realize love is right in front of him until their manager, Tia, is
almost killed trying to save his life. After years of ignoring her is it
too late to earn her trust...and her love?~~~~~~ 

Dangerous Alternative by Kelli
Hughett





Hollywood grip, Levi Boulter unknowingly puts himself in
the crosshairs of a murder plot. Now, he'll do anything to keep the
woman he loves safe, even if it means losing her forever.~~~~~~ 

Inconceived by Sharyn Kopf



Realizing you’re a spinster is one thing; understanding what that means
and how to handle it is another. And, it would seem, Jolene, Uli and
Catie still have a ways to go before they truly comprehend what God is
trying to show them not only in their desire to marry but in their
longing to have children of their own.

~~~~~~ 

Child of Dust by Shoba Sadler



After the sudden death of her parents, Vietnamese
socialite Cao Kim Lye steps out of a world of crystal and chandelier to
enter the dust and chaos of working-class Hanoi when she goes to live
with her Amerasian chauffeur and his adoptive family at a shop cum
living quarters.
VOTE
HERE!
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have trouble viewing the entire survey, CLICK HERE to load a dedicated page to the survey.


October 2016 Clash Survey

Wisconsin Highways & Byways - Bursting with Fall Splendor

Fall has kept me busy! Time to blow the dust off my page and tell you about it! It's been a glorious fall here in northern Wisconsin. Just last week our colors peaked. There's nothing quite like hill covered in Wisconsin oak forest or the golden splashes of a tamarack swamp against an azure sky. Here are a few Wisconsin highway and byway pictures I took out the car window coming back from our road trip downstate last weekend, where I attended the annual Wisconsin Writers' Association fall conference in Neenah. I'm no photographer, but the scenery was irresistible.










The clouds started moving in as we got closer to the north land.







I've been writing as much as possible, but with the quickly passing days of autumn, I've mostly been soaking in the outdoors, and enjoying my grandchildren and the mosquito free sunshine.

Here are a few more pictures that I took this week on a misty drive home from some grandbaby play time at my son's house. Now, only a couple days later, the leaves are dropping like crazy. Is it possible to ever get tired of soaking in the beauty of fall? I don't think so! I like to set some of my stories in the fall. Who can resist the romance of such a lovely season?








I have one more little stockpile of gorgeous fall pictures to post. Maybe I'll do it next week when I'm already starting to miss those stunningly beautiful colors.

Blessings~
Naomi
Click here if you haven't visited the Naomi Musch Amazon author page in a while.Now's the time to build up your reading list!

Clash of the Titles Announces the 2016 Olympia Award Champion!

Many deserving competitors entered the fray. One became the victor!

Congratulations Jennifer Uhlarik, 
2016 Olympia Award Champion.
We took a few moments to get to know Jennifer a little better, and now here's your chance to do the same:


Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.


How did you come up with the idea for this book and what made you want to write this particular story?


While working with a few other authors on some novella collection ideas, I came up with the idea of three adult siblings who reunite after being separated by adoption in their youth. This story and the two that follow it are the result of that idea—three strong siblings devoted to law and justice, each in their own way.


What does winning the Olympia Award mean to you?


It is such an honor! I love the Olympia since the first round is judged by readers. That is probably the truest group of judges one can have. And I know the competition is always stiff in contests, so just to final is quite humbling. To win is indescribable (and I’m an author, so that says a lot. I’m speechless. LOL)


How can people find you online/contact you?


I can be found in the following places:

Website: www.jenniferuhlarik.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferUhlarikAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferUhlarik

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenuhlarik/

All that Glitters, a Gold Rush historical romance!

"A wonderfully unpredictable plotline!"
"All that Glitters was a beautifully written story that speaks of redemption and forgiveness."
"The author draws you in and keeps you engaged to the last page."



About the book:The world has gone plum crazy over gold. Men and women alike would do almost anything to make their fortune. Leaving behind her family and a dying father, Ginny Connor follows the cunning Logan Harris up North to strike it rich. Twenty-year old Vivian Connor embarks on a cross-country chase to rescue her sister Ginny and they are both led into the chaos of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Meanwhile, Ben McCormack leaves his farm to retrieve his intended bride from a rowdy, tent town on the Alaskan coastline. Ben’s path inadvertently entwines with Vivian’s and he finds his heart tugging him in a different direction.
Danger and disappointment plague all their journeys to the far North. Will Vivian find her sister in time to return home to see their father? Can Ginny forgive herself for the decisions she's made? Will Ben find the lifelong love he searches for? When the world listens only to the call of gold, redemption and love become scarce treasures.
PURCHASE Amazon

Chat with the author:
How do you connect with God best? I love listening to the Lord speak into my heart during worship.
Which Christian author has influenced you the most? I have been a fan of Allison Pittman’s work for years. Even more amazing, The Christian Communicator assigned my novel All That Glitters to her for editorial. Her encouragement and insight helped me develop as a writer and take the leap toward publication.
Are your books only for Christians or would other people also enjoy them? My books definitely embrace a Christian worldview; however, the settings and characters are memorable enough for anyone who enjoys a good read.

About the author:Lisa Flickinger lives in the shadow of the Rockies with her husband Matthew and their dog Zeke. When not writing or reading, you will find her combing antique shops, walking in the woods, or sipping a latte with friends. All That Glitters fulfills the lifelong dream of sharing the characters in her head with you, dear reader. Enjoy!

Review: Search for the Homestead Treasure: A Mystery by Ann Treacy

I'm anxious to share with you a fantastic new book by Ann Treacy, published by the University of Minnesota Press. It's a fabulous piece of middle grade fiction with literary merit you need to know about.


Back in the day before my kids grew up and I was a homeschooling mom looking for great books to introduce to my kids, Ann's novel The S earch for the Homestead Treasure  would have fit the bill perfectly. I would have also considered it a compelling family read-aloud. The Search for the Homestead Treasure is the story of Martin Gunnarsson, a boy of fourteen who has had to resettle with his family on a dilapidated homestead in the wilds of Minnesota in 1903. Martin misses his friends and the life he had in Stillwater, but his dad was born on this farm and raised nearby after his parents and only sibling died of diphtheria. The family moved after Martin's older (and he thinks, better loved) brother Dan is killed in a tragic accident. Now Martin is left here on this miserable farm with a mother who is self-medicating a mental breakdown, a little sister who is annoying and dependent, an older aunt who is trying to hold the frayed household together, and a farm that needs to produce a profit, or else it'll be swept up into the paws of a local banker who covets the property. Martin's dad has gone to make some ready cash at a logging camp, but when he is injured and kept away to face a long recovery, the burden of saving a homestead he doesn't even want falls on Martin's young shoulders.

Enter the gypsies who camp nearby and cause the local folk many suspicions. Particularly there's Samson, a Roma (gypsy) boy who Martin meets in a surprising, frightening way, but who becomes a key to Martin's ability to deal with the pressures he faces.

Finally, there's Cora's diary. Cora was the aunt who died of diphtheria long ago, a 12-year old girl carrying a unique set of burdens all her own on this same, struggling homestead. She writes of a treasure her mother -- Martin's grandmother -- brought with her from the old country, a dowry she never turned over to her husband but kept hidden, a treasure never discovered over the years. Could this lost treasure still exist, and could it save the homestead?

I would love to tell you more about this in-depth story of regrets and new beginnings, of the mystique of the Roma people in our country's history and lingering prejudices, of hard work making a boy into a man. Read Ann's novel. Intricate details of place and time are woven into the story's fabric, and Martin's coming of age story will fascinate you.

*Note: The novel contains several incidents of mild language.

Purchase Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
University of Minnesota Press

End of a Hiatus and a Book Review of Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

If you're stopping by and thinking my blog is dead, well, it's true I took I hiatus over the past few months. My husband was diagnosed with cancer this past winter, and we've gone through a rough haul with his treatment, but the prognosis is good, and I think he's turning the corner. Praise God!

So I hope to step back onto the page here pretty quickly. In the meantime, I'll start with a book review of my latest read and hope you'll hang around and visit the archives or my home page.

Blessings~
Naomi

Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am SO glad I didn't return this book to the library early. I had a lot going on and didn't think I'd have time to get into it. I started it slowly, so I wasn't falling into the story line right away. BUT I decided to settle in, and Wow! Chateau of Secrets has quickly moved to the top of my Best Reads of 2016 list so far.

Ms. Dobson weaves two stories together, the WWII story of a young woman in occupied France, living under the thumb (in her own home) of Nazi invasion, and the story of her grand-daughter, fleeing personal and public heartache and returning to France to search out the mysteries of what happened back then during the war. In the process, she opens up a vault of family secrets hidden for decades, all while finding healing for her heart along the way.

If you love a great WWII story, intrigue, romance, and a story line that keeps your heart pulsing and your mind guessing all the way through, you'll love this book.



View all my reviews

COTT'S Oct/Nov 2015 Champion!

Thank you to our viewers, fans, and voters—this was a near record-setting post view for our five authors. Congratulations to all of your and thank you for participating. Some of the comments you received include:
Thank you for producing such amazing Christian fiction!All of them are beautiful covers.The world of writing may be hard, but you all have already done more than many people dream of doing by finishing and publishing a book. Keep writing, and best of luck.Keep on writing and telling your stories!Keep writing! Keep believing!Love these covers, all!All look like great books, but the cover of Sound of Silver really grabs me the most.Voted for After! A lovely book inside and out.Love the covers of "After" and "Love's Christmas Past" but am most excited to read "Sofia's Tune" first. Who doesn't love a good secret? Excited!LOVE your work, Rachelle!Good for you, Janet Sketchley, for having your book included here.

Certainly all wonderful, but...there

Can
Be
Only
One


Congratulations to this month’s Champion, Cindy Thomson, and Sofia’s Tune!

Released November 1, 2015Ebook - $4.99Print: $14.99For Kindle: Sofia’s Tune (Ellis Island Book 3) Please order print copies here. Also available in print on AmazonAt Barnes & Noble At IndieBound

In Sofia’s Tune, we meet Sofia Falcone, a young woman who has been living in New York only a short time when she is stunned to discover a family secret, one that soon sends her beloved mother into a mental institution. Scrambling to keep her job and care for her mother, Sofia is convinced confronting the past will heal all wounds, but her old world Italian family wants to keep the past in the past.

During this time, she encounters Antonio, a Vaudeville pianist with a street-smart dog, seeking to discover why his father was mysteriously killed. Their crossed paths uncover a frightening underworld in Little Italy. Bringing the truth to light may cost Sofia’s mother’s sanity, Antonio’s career, and the livelihoods of countless immigrants. Change is on the horizon, but it may not bring what they expect.




Q & A With Cindy
· Sofia’s Tune has a musical theme. What can you tell us about the meaning of “tune” in this story?
Antonio is a vaudeville pianist who dreams of becoming an accomplished concert musician. His dog resembles Nipper of the “His Master’s Voice” advertisement for gramophones. There is plenty of music in this story, but the title refers to changing your tune, finding a different path for your life, as both Sofia and Antonio must do.
· Tell us about the dog on the cover.
Luigi is Antonio’s faithful companion who keeps reminding people of the dog listening to his master’s voice on the recording, as I mentioned. He’s well trained and a good judge of character. I really enjoyed adding a canine character to the story. Dogs are such an important part of many people’s lives. He is Antonio’s dog, but he really likes Sofia, as you can see on the cover!
· What’s next?
Sofia’s Tune is the final novel in the series. However, I am planning on a novella, a sort of prequel, which will tell Mrs. Hawkins’s story. Mrs. Hawkins runs a boarding house for immigrant girls. Her story is told very briefly in Annie’s Stories. This novella will be free exclusively for my newsletter subscribers. (You can sign up on my web site.)Next summer I will be releasing the sequel to my first novel, Brigid of Ireland . The stories are set in 5th century Ireland, and weave in a bit of fantasy and adventure. They are somewhat different from the Ellis Island series, but are still representative of our ancestors’ stories that should be passed down for us to carry on their legacy of endurance, faithfulness, and wisdom.
And speaking of wisdom, Sofia’s name means wisdom, and I hope readers will be inspired by the music in the book trailer, written by my friend from Northern Ireland, singer/songwriter Andy Rogers.



Cindy Thomson is the author of seven books, including her newest novel, Sofia’s Tune, the third book in her Ellis Island series. She also writes genealogy articles for Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today magazines, and short stories for Clubhouse Magazine. Most everything she writes reflects her mission of “Writing the stories of our inheritance." Visit her at www.cindyswriting.com, on Facebook at www. facebook. com/cindyswritin g and on Twitter: @cindyswriting

Book Review of STORMING, a New Dieselpunk Novel by K.M Weiland

Though I've always enjoyed such films such as Indiana Jones, The Rocketeer, Captain America, and so on, I've never read a deiselpunk (or ANYpunk) novel until now, but I thoroughly enjoyed K.M. Weiland's brand new release Storming, a deiselpunk that is set among the post war, air show, barnstorming circus era. Interestingly, I've read that sometimes deiselpunk can seem to glorify nazi-ism due to the nazi components in these stories, but Weiland's novel is a clear depiction of anti-fascism. (The fascists are the bad guys.)



The story is full of intrigue from the very beginning, when barnstormer Hitch Hitchcock nearly flies into first one body, then another, tumbling out of the sky from who-knows-where. There isn't another sign of plane or anything else up there in the clouds. When he rescues the mysterious foreigner Jael she talks of Schturming, her home in the clouds, and for a while, there's the great mystery of what Shturming is, or where it's exactly located. The answer is quite a lark!

But there's so much more to Weiland's story. There's the traumatized little boy, Hitch's nephew, who hasn't talked in several years but is drawn to Hitch more than anyone else in his life, and about whom another mystery swirls. There's Hitch's estranged brother, who happens to be a town deputy, and Hitch is definitely flying around on the fringes of the law. There's the town sheriff himself, who has a hold over Hitch and knows just how to call in a favor, even more than once. There's Hitch's sisters-in-law who aren't ready to forgive him for his wife's death. There's his buddy Earl, who stands by him when the rest  of the circus only has use for his talents when it's in their favor.

And mostly there's Jael, the strange, strong-headed, daring girl who fell from the sky and became a flying circus pilot's dream as a wing-walker -- and something more. Weiland does a fantastic
job of pulling readers into the cares of these people and sets the final scenes in the heavens (no spoilers! Can't tell you about the actual Schturming!) full of bravado, daring do, and death-defying romance, familial love, and forgiveness. Oh -- and a great climax for the bad guys.

Like I said, deiselpunk is new to me, but I think readers who really seek out this genre would get a great kick out of Storming!

Available on Amazon

FREE Kindle! To Celebrate Five Years of COTT!

Happy Birthday, COTT! 

We're half a decade old!



To celebrate FIVE YEARS of Clash of the Titles, we're GIVING AWAY some fun gifts. 
You can win books by Gail Pallotta and Lisa Lickel, 
or even a KINDLE FIRE!!


Raffle opens right now!

Closes Monday, November 30.


There are several ways to enter the drawing outlined in the RaffleCopter below. Winners will be drawn and announced on December 2nd. 

Please note: All entries are optional, butthe more you rack up, the higher your odds of winning.
To boot, you're showing support of those who've donated prizes. Not to mention, some of the entries come with their very own freebies!

Thank you!

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